In several animal production systems, feed is the greatest single cost and productivity can rely on the relative cost and nutritive estimation of the feed out there. Despite significant advancement has been accomplished all through the poultry production chain, still dietary estimation of feedstuffs was not accomplished at the bird’s level. The value of less digestible feed ingredient was directly correlated with its nutrient availability and considered to be of lower value.

Oftentimes, the absence of certain enzymes, particularly NSPs degrading enzymes and inability to digest the different constituent parts of the feed raw materials, particularly fibers are the limiting factor while formulating ration in animals. This has led to the wastage of few essential nutrients and increased cost of feed to compensate the appropriate nutritional elements. The rising cost of poultry feed ingredients has been prompting the consumers to shift their focus towards exogenous feed enzymes. Feed enzymes were gaining importance as they play an important role in improving feed digestibility, cost reduction, nutrient absorption, and better performance.

In addition to improving diet utilization, enzyme addition can reduce the variability in nutritive value between feedstuffs and improving the accuracy of feed formulations. As per the present scenario in poultry industry, enzyme can be added by one of two ways. One option is to reformulate the feed to reduce feed costs and maintain performance of birds. The second option is to add the enzyme on-top to the standard feed formulation and achieve improved performance by improving the efficiency of feed utilization.

Kemin has developed Nutrikem™ XLP Plus, which is a combination of multiple enzymes including multi-protease, amylase and NSP digesting enzymes with a bio-surfactant (Lysophospholipids) to enhance nutrient utilization of layer birds. Nutrikem™ XLP Plus allows feed formulations to have 100-125 Kcal less energy per kg of feed and 0.6-1 % less crude protein by aiding in the digestion and absorption process of the bird. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the effects of Nutrikem™ XLP Plus supplementation to diets of commercial laying hens and its effects on the zoo technical performance parameters.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The trial was designed and conducted in a well-managed layer farm in South India in 2016. A total of 31,811 (BV300) commercial layer birds were selected from three sheds at 44 weeks of age for study and reared under similar conditions of California cage system. The detail of experimental groups is given in Table 1. The trial was conducted for 8 weeks in layer birds from 44 to 51 weeks. During the trial, control group was fed with normal standard mash diet whereas treatment group of reformulated diet was supplemented with Nutrikem™ XLP Plus at 500g/MT by considering the matrix value of 0.6 % for crude protein and 75 Kcal / kg for ME and another treatment group was fed with on-top supplementation of Nutrikem™ XLP Plus at 250g/MT in normal standard diet without considering any matrix value.

The birds were fed with layer mash feed, as per the formulation given in Table 2. The nutritive values of both the control diet and treatment diets were maintained the same and no management changes were made during the experimental period. The nutrient composition is shown in Table 3.

Table 2: Feed formulation for Control and Nutrikem™ XLP Plus group diets

Ingredient

Control

Nutrikem™ XLP Plus (Reformulation)

Nutrikem™ XLP Plus (On-Top)

Maize

330

300

330

Broken Rice

250

250

250

De-oiled Rice Bran

75

120

75

Ground Nut DOC

60

50

60

FISH

50

45

50

Meat & Bone Meal

30

20

30

Gaur Korma

30

30

30

Rape Seed Meal

65

70

65

Stone Grit

105

110

105

Salt

2.5

2

2.5

Phytase

0.1

0.1

0.1

DL- Methionine

1

1

1

L- Lysine

1

1.4

1

Nutrikem™ XLP Plus

-

0.5

0.25

Total / Ton of Feed

999.6

1000

999.85

Cost / kg of Feed

15.3948

15.1125

15.526

Table 3: Nutrient specifications for Control and Nutrikem™ XLP Plus group diets

Nutrient Specifications

Control

Nutrikem™ XLP Plus (Reformulation)

Nutrikem™ XLP Plus (On - Top)

Metabolizable Energy (Kcal/kg)

2501.09

2504.60*

2501.09

Crude Protein %

16.01

16.04*

16.01

Total L - Lysine %

0.78

0.78

0.78

Total DL - Methionine %

0.39

0.39

0.39

Total Methionine + Cysteine %

0.66

0.65

0.66

Total Threonine %

0.56

0.54

0.56

Total Linoleic Acid %

1.03

1.01

1.03

Total Crude Fiber %

5.08

5.54

5.08

Total Ether Extract %

2.56

2.40

2.56

Total Calcium %

4.43

4.48

4.43

Available Phosphorous %

0.51

0.45

0.51

Sodium %

0.21

0.18

0.21

Chloride %

0.26

0.23

0.26

*Energy Matrix Value: 75 Kcal/kg and Crude Protein Matrix Value: 0.6%

PARAMETERS MEASURED

The data on daily production and daily feed intake was collected and calculated for feed consumption per bird (g), feed intake per egg (g), feed cost per egg (INR) and return on investment (ROI).

RESULTS

The consolidated results on the performance of layers for the period between 44-51 weeks of age are presented below.

Egg Laying Performance

Figure 1 summarizes the effect of Nutrikem™ XLP Plus supplementation on egg laying performance parameters. A positive propensity on the intensity of laying eggs during the laying period was apperceived. The treatment groups with diet reformulated and on-top supplemented with Nutrikem™ XLP Plus promoted egg production at 1.64% and 0.16% respectively, when compared to the control group that was fed with normal diet without enzyme supplementation.

Fig. 1: Average hen housed egg production percentage during the trial period (44-51 weeks)

Feed Consumption

Average feed consumption in different experimental groups are presented in Figure 2. Hens fed with the control diet consumed more feed than the hens fed with the Nutrikem™ XLP Plus supplemented diets. Despite of similar nutrient specifications in both periods, lesser feed consumption of 1.29g and 2.15g per bird was observed in reformulated and on-top supplemented Nutrikem™ XLP Plus diets respectively when compared to control diet.

Fig. 2: Average feed consumption per bird during control and treatments.

Feed conversion and feed cost per egg

Feed conversion per egg and feed cost per egg were calculated and shown in Figure 3 and Figure 4 respectively. The diet reformulated and on-topped with Nutrikem™ XLP Plus resulted in 3.54g and 2.57g lesser feed intake per egg produced respectively than the control group.

Fig 3: Average feed intake per egg during control and treatments

As such, Nutrikem™ XLP Plus supplementation as reformulation of layer feed reduced the cost of feed per egg by 9 paisa (INR 0.09) and the on-top application by 2 paisa (INR 0.02). The advantage of cost saving was the combined effect of least cost feed formulation and reduction in feed intake per egg throughout the Nutrikem™ XLP Plus utilization period.

Figure 4: Average feed cost per egg during control and treatments

Note: Statistical analysis is not possible due to commercial trial and varying batch size in each group.

From the above study, reformulation and on-top supplementation of Nutrikem™ XLP Plus diets had a positive impact on the performance parameters in laying hens. Similarly, it was reported that different enzyme concentrations in the feed mixture for hens increased laying hen productivity and nutrient digestibility.

The results of this study on improved egg production in Nutrikem™ XLP Plus treatments were in corroborates with the study observed in addition of cocktail commercial enzyme to the diets of laying hens which showed beneficial effects on productive performance, especially in terms of egg production. The outcome of this study with Nutrikem™ XLP Plus on decreased feed intake and improved feed conversion by lowering the feed intake in grams per egg were in consistent with those observed in multi-enzyme supplementation studies.

This trial results with Nutrikem™ XLP Plus could be attributed to enhanced utilization of nutrients and fortified action of lysophospholipids, in thought with considering cost analysis for beneficial zoo technical parameter in laying hens feeding.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that supplementation of Nutrikem™ XLP Plus at 500g/MT with diet reformulation, reduce the feed formulation cost by INR 282 and 250g/MT with on-top application in low density diet yields performance. Nutrikem™ XLP Plus facilitate to boost the supplementation of endogenous enzymes and fortification of exogenous enzymes to lighten the potential and evident against anti - nutritional impacts of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP’s), which would be gifted in varied feed ingredients.

The main productive indicators that changed in present study by the dietary supplementation of Nutrikem™ XLP Plus were eggs production and feed conversion, which delivered better economics and return on investment of 1:4.36 in reformulated and 1:3.72 in on-top supplemented diets respectively.